Overview

The popularity of sports around the world creates a wide variety of career options and ministry opportunities in sport management. A career in sport management can be very rewarding for those who love sports and are motivated to help others enjoy them.

The need for well-trained managers in sport organizations and businesses, athletic programs, community and private fitness clubs, ministry outreach, sport medicine and sport media is vital. This major takes an applied learning approach to prepare students for the wide range of career options in sport management. Practical experiences, volunteer opportunities and internships are emphasized to prepare the future professional for the ever-changing aspects of a career in sport management.

Courses

SMT 1110 Introduction to Sport Management

An introduction to the field of sport management. This course allows the student to investigate the various career options and curriculum choices in sport management.

SMT 2050 Risk Management in Sport

The nature of today’s litigious society makes it imperative that the sport management student be familiar with the special issues of law related to sport. Topics include tort law, risk management, contract law, the legal system and facility supervision. Special emphasis will be given to current legal issues and application of risk management principles.

SMT 2320 Facility Management

In this course, the student will study the entire scope of facility management, including facility planning, construction, budgeting, facility operations and facility supervision.

SMT 3610 Sport Marketing

This course will explore the areas of finance, fund-raising and marketing related to sport organizations. The emphasis of this course will be on marketing related to facilities, programs and sport organizations.

Faculty

Darrell L. Johnson, B.S., M.A., Ed.D.

Professor of Sport Management

Education History

B.S. in Physical Education, Grace College; M.A. in Physical Education, Kent State University; Ed.D. in Sport Sociology, The University of Alabama

About

Darrell Johnson is the director of the Sport Management Program. He is an active member in many professional organizations, including AAHPERD, NASPE, AAPAR, IAHPERD and NASSM. He has presented at numerous state and national conventions and meetings on different sport management and physical education topics. Johnson is active in major sports events by volunteering, and he encourages his students to also be involved. Some of his recent experiences include the 2013 President’s Cup, the 2012 Super Bowl, the 2011 Big 10 Football Championship, the 2012 PGA Senior Championship and the USGA Senior Open. He regularly leads a group of students on a one-week trip to Atlanta, Georgia to study African-American culture and the rich history of African-American athletes. As a student, he was a pitcher on the Lancer's baseball team and currently holds the record for the most wins in a career and the most wins in a season. In 2009, he was inducted into the Grace College Athletic Hall of Fame.

James C. Kessler, B.S., M.Ed.

Associate Professor of Sport Management

Education History

B.S. in Health and Physical Education, Grace College; M.Ed. in Physical Education and Exercise Science, University of Missouri

About

Grace College students are fortunate to learn from Jim Kessler, the head coach for the Lancers men's basketball team. “Coach K” has been at the helm of the Lancers basketball program and part of the school’s faculty since 1975. One of the winningest active coaches in the nation, Kessler is a graduate of Grace College, where he had a four-year playing career with the Lancers men’s basketball team. In addition to coaching, he teaches coaching courses for the Sports Management Program and methods courses for the School of Education. Coach K and his wife, Susanne, have four grown daughters and reside in Winona Lake, Indiana.

Roger B. Bingham, B.S., M.B.A., D.M.

Associate Professor of Management

Education History

B.S. in Business Administration , University of Dayton; M.B.A., University of Dayton; D.M., University of Maryland

About

Roger Bingham comes to Grace College with more than 16 years in higher education. Prior to his current position, he served in leadership roles in the Ivy Tech Community College system covering Student Affairs, finance and facilities. Bingham has also worked for private industry and the federal government. His family includes his wife and three teenage children.

Chad Briscoe, B.A., M.A.

Director of Athletics

Education History

B.A. in Education, Anderson University (IN); M.A., Ball State University (IN)

About

Chad Briscoe serves as the Director of Athletics at Grace College and an adjunct professor in Sports Management. He came to Grace College in 2007 and has worked in higher education for 14 years. Prior to beginning his time at Grace, he worked as a college basketball coach and assistant athletic director. He spent 6 years working in professional baseball with 3 of those years in the Texas Rangers organization. He serves both in the NAIA & NCCAA on different committees while overseeing the Champions of Character program for the NAIA Crossroads League.

Careers

Some of the positions you can obtain:

Sports Executive

Responsible for the team's finances, as well as overseeing the other departments within the organization such as marketing, public relations, accounting, ticket sales, advertising, sponsorship and community relations. A sports executive also works to establish long-term contracts and develops support within the communities where the team plays.

Fitness Manager

The fitness manager is responsible for the overall function of the personal training department and its profitability. Recruit, hire, develop, train and supervise qualified personal training staff. Assisting with club profitability via revenue generation and expense management.

Missionary

Immersion within and forming relationships with the people of another culture with the purpose of sharing Christ in word and in deed. Oftentimes, missionaries will form relationships through the application of their gifts and talents, meeting the needs of the people within the culture. Those talents may be in the areas of construction, agriculture, literacy, teaching or business, to name a few.

Sports Instructors and Coaches

Demonstrate and explain the skills and rules of particular sports like golf, tennis, basketball, football or gymnastics. They may work with individuals or with organized teams at all levels of competition from beginners to professionals.

Sports Psychologists

Work with amateur and professional athletes to improve their mental and physical health to promote stronger athletic performances. They also work with athletes in preparation for upcoming competitive events. Researching psychologists conduct studies that provide scientific facts and statistics related to an athlete's performance.

Sportswriters

Cover the news in sports for newspapers, magazines and online media outlets. Research original ideas or follow up on breaking stories, interviewing coaches, players, owners and managers for comments.

Testimonials

What others are saying:

The professors in the School of Business make a sincere effort to get to know students on a personal level. Team-oriented projects helped me to realize how I play a part with teams and what role I play in these groups. Not only did I learn about the business world through my academic experience at Grace College, but I learned about myself, time management, and how management of self is of high importance. The School of Business does a good job of preparing students for the 'real world' in business.- Hayley Cashier, B.S. General Business/Business Administration, 2012

The teaching in the School of Business at Grace College is excellent. The professors expect excellence from the students, and they work to help the students achieve it. The professors have also given me the business knowledge and the application to translate it to the real world. Team-oriented projects, student organization involvement and other professionally related activities were the most valuable in allowing me to apply the things I have learned.